How to Read Poetry Like a Professor: A Quippy and Sonorous Guide to Verse

One of Foster’s contentions is that poetry should be approachable to all kinds of readers, not just academic elites. How well do his choices as a writer reflect this belief?

• How well do the language and tone of Foster’s book help promote this goal?
• How well does the structure of Foster’s book help promote this goal?
• How well does the content of Foster’s book help promote this goal?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt can be responded to individually, in writing, but it is particularly well-suited to small-group or whole-class discussion, as students will benefit from hearing a wider range of opinions and examples related to the different aspects of Foster’s book. Students may have a tendency to approach this prompt too broadly, offering general critiques of Foster’s book rather than focusing on the narrower question of how his authorial choices either promote or interfere with the goal of making poetry more accessible to non-academic audiences. It may be helpful to remind them of this narrow focus. For students working at the AP or college level, you can extend this conversation by asking a follow-up question about how their own status within the academy impacts their ability to answer this question effectively.